From June 26 to October 14, 2023, the excavation campaign of the archaeological site of Bagno Grande took place in San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy. Directed by Emanuele Mariotti and scientifically supervised by the University for Foreigners of Siena and the Soprintendenza of Siena, the excavations have yielded remarkable findings that continue to shed light on this important thermal sanctuary from the Etruscan and Roman periods.
Similar to 2022, when a votive deposit with more than 20 bronze statues and hundreds of offerings was discovered, this year’s campaign has brought new exceptional surprises.
Beneath the temple with the large sacred pool from the Roman era, an earlier Etruscan-era structure has been uncovered, with a slightly different orientation. This reveals the long evolution of the sanctuary over centuries.
Abundant offerings of bronze, ceramics, and even rock crystal accompanying the construction of the Etruscan temple and its subsequent imperial monumentalization have also been found.
A notable discovery is a travertine altar with a bilingual inscription in Etruscan and Latin, one of the few known examples of this kind, mentioning the sacred thermal spring in both languages.
Inside the temple, at the edge of the sacred pool, an almost complete marble statue of Apollo killing a snake or lizard, dating back to the 1st century BCE, has been discovered. The presence of this god linked to thermal waters confirms the importance this sanctuary had since archaic times.
The excavations have allowed the expansion of the uncovered area to 400 square meters and depths of up to 4 meters. In addition to archaeological findings, the campaign involved more than 50 students from different universities and the work of 70 researchers. Consolidation, restoration, and protection tasks at the site have also been carried out.
The new discoveries confirm that Bagno Grande was an important religious center where people from various cultures converged, as evidenced by the bilingual inscriptions. Its sacred baths were a place of worship for centuries and a center for healing both body and soul.
The excavations continue to provide data on the evolution of the sanctuary and its role in the area, bringing us closer to understanding this unique enclave of the past.
Sources
Comune di San Casciano dei Bagni
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